end of an era (well chapter anyway)

[kitestrings]

We took down our Sencenbaugh this weekend.  It's been up (and down, for repairs) for almost 30-years.  A pretty hearty sort I'd say.  It sure seemed weird to step out of the house and not hear the familiar fooosh, or see blades on it.  Felt a bit like the family dog died.



This turbine is pretty lightweight.  Once the blades and tail are removed, what is left sitting on the tower is only about 110-120#.  Pretty manageable with the small gin.  Mitch, my son, is using a figure 8 descender/belay ring.  Very handy little gadget.



The bearings & seals are bit sloppy and the blades are in need of overdue maintenance, but overall it's fared very well.


I had some energetic helpers.  Gotta start 'em young.  Who knows how much longer I'll be able to pull this stuff off...



~kitestrings

[AzSun]

I had an old Wind King 2Kw installed in Pa. back in the early 80's. I know what you mean by the "Dog Died" It has been sitting on the shelf since 85 in my Arizona garage. Working with solar now. What are you going to replace it with ?

[SparWeb]

It looks to me like KS is going to be raising the new homebrew machine to the top of that tower, and then he'll REALLY see it kick out the amps.

Looking forward to it!

That looks like the slip-ring arrangement that I want to emulate.

[kitestrings]

Yes, that's right.  The tower that is there is only a 25G (Rohn).  Our plan is to take it down, and go back up with the larger 45G.  Both towers use the same anchors, turnbuckles and guy sizes.  The pole the axial is now on will go down through the tower top and the plate where it is now guyed will mate with the 45G top.  There will be a bracket shelf at the bottom of the schedule 40 to take the loading out to the guy brackets, then there will be an added (1/4") set of guys.

Seems like a lot of work, but the Sencenbaugh is only a 12' rotor and curb weight in the crate about 280#.  The homebrew is 15' and weighs about 385#.  The schedule 40 adds another 150-160#.

I had an old Wind King 2Kw installed in Pa. back in the early 80's.

And I thought I knew them all.  I don't remember this machine.  Do you have any pics?  I'll have to google it.

~kitestrings